Intubation drape

ABSTRACT

A medical drape which is positioned over the head and upper torso of a patient is disclosed which includes a head flap, a head portion, a torso portion, and two oppositely disposed arm portions. The head flap is of a sufficient length to extend about the backside of the patient=s head. The head portion includes oppositely disposed side wings which aid in covering the head of a patient. Each arm portion includes an access slot extending through the arm portion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicant claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser.No. 63/069,963 filed Aug. 25, 2020 and entitled INTUBATION DRAPE.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present inventive concept relates to the field of medical drapes.More particularly, the invention relates to a medical drape used duringthe intubating or extubating of a patient.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oftentimes, medical personnel must intubate a patient in order to securea proper airway for the patient or extubate in order to remove anintubation tube from a patient=s airway. During the intubation processmedical instruments are placed into the mouth and throat of a person toallow a clear view of the airway for positioning an intubation tube.This process creates airborne particles or an aerosol that may containpathogens, such as bacterium, viruses or other micro-organisms. Theairborne pathogen poses a significant risk to the medical personnelperforming the procedures.

To prevent the spread of such airborne pathogens, barriers have beenused to contain the patient=s head. One such device has been the use ofa box with internal sleeves that is placed over the head of a patientduring the medical procedure. The box is made of a clear plastic so thatthe medical personnel may view the process. A problem with such devicesis that the box must be stored when not in use. Another problem is thatthe box is intended to be re-usable, therefore, the box must bedecontaminated after each use.

Another improvised method of limiting exposure has been through the useof a clear conventional rain poncho. The hood of the rain poncho isplaced over the face of a patient while the body of the poncho is laidupon the patient=s chest. While the use of a poncho may cover the faceof a patient during the procedure, the poncho may easily slide out ofplace during the procedure. Also, the poncho does not properly containthe airspace around the patient=s face during the removing of the ponchofrom the patient. Lastly, the poncho requires the medical personnel toinsert, extract, and move his or her hands beneath the entire ponchoduring the medical procedure, which may cause the poncho to slip out ofplace or may create a breach of the air pocket between the patient andthe overlying poncho.

Accordingly, a need exists for a medical drape that may be used duringthe intubation or extubating of a patient that allows a clear view ofthe medical field while also allowing unobstructed movement of themedical personnel and instruments while also substantially containingthe airspace after the procedure. It is to the provision of suchtherefore that the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An intubation drape comprises a flexible sheet of clear plastic materialhaving a torso portion and a head portion extending from the torsoportion. The torso portion has two oppositely disposed arm portionsextending from the torso portion. Each arm portion has an access slotextending therethrough. With this construction, the intubation drape ispositioned over a patient with the torso portion over the torso of thepatient and the head portion over the face of a patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the present inventions can be betterunderstood, certain illustrations, charts and/or flow charts areappended hereto. It is to be noted, however, that the drawingsillustrate only selected embodiments of the inventions and are thereforenot to be considered limiting of scope, for the inventions may admit toother equally effective embodiments and applications.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an intubation drape embodying principles of theinvention in a preferred form, shown in an initial, unmounted positionupon a patient.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the intubation drape of FIG. 1, shown in amounted position upon a patient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

With reference next to the drawings, there is a shown a surgical ormedical intubation or extubating drape 10 in a preferred form of thepresent invention, referenced herein as drape 10. The drape 10 isconfigured to be positioned over the head and upper torso of a patientP, and may be used for other medical procedures besides thosespecifically recited herein.

The drape 10 is a generally thin, flat film, layer, or sheet of clear,flexible material, such as a sheet of thin plastic material. The drape10 is shaped to include a head portion 14 and a torso portion 16. Thehead portion 14 has a face portion 13 and a head extension, extensionflap, or flap 12 extending from the face portion 13 oppositely disposedfrom the torso portion 16. The torso portion 16 has two oppositelydisposed and outwardly extending arms or arm portions 18.

The head flap 12 extends from the upper portion of the head portion 14.The head flap 12 is of a sufficient length to extend about the backsideof the patient=s head with the head portion 14 laying upon the patient=sface, as shown in FIG. 2. As such, the head flap 12 anchors or maintainsthe face portion 13 in a position upon the face of the patient throughthe weight of the patient=s head upon the flap 12.

The head portion 14 includes oppositely disposed side bulges or wings 22which aid it covering the head of a patient and extending the width ofthe face portion 13. The wings 22 also allow air to enter below the headportion 14 in the area of the patient=s neck to allow the patient tobreathe.

Each arm portion 18 includes an access slot 24 extending through the armportion 18. The access slot 24 may be in the form of two intersectingslits to form an X-shaped slit, cut or slot extending through theplastic material of the arm portions 18, i.e., extending from the topsurface to the bottom surface of the sheet material that forms the armportions 18.

In use, with the patient P in a supine position upon a support surface,the drape 10 is placed upon the patient P with the head portion 14positioned over the patient=s face and the torso portion 16 positionedover the patient=s torso with the arm portions 18 extending laterally tothe sides. The head flap 12 is then tucked under or below the patient=shead so that the weight of the patient=s head maintains the position ofthe head flap 12 and consequently the entire head portion 14, as shownin FIG. 2.

The medical personnel may then slide medical instruments below the headportion 14 of the drape 10. The medical personnel=s arms are theninserted through the arm access slots 24 within the arm portions 18, sothat the medical personnel=s hands may manipulate the medicalinstruments into position to perform the intubation or extubating of thepatient. The medical personnel=s hands easily slide through the accessslots 24 due to the access slot 24 comprising two slits in two differentdirections that ensure an opening of the slot, and thus preventing aclosing of the slit should the hands initially contact the arm portions18 in a position just off the access slots 24 that may cause the accessslot 24 to close somewhat due to a pulling of the material. The drape 10creates an air pocket above the patient=s face which prevents airborneparticles from escaping the area about the patient=s face below theconfines of the drape 10. As the drape is made of a clear material, themedical personnel may view the medical field through the drape 10, andespecially the face portion 13.

Once the procedure has concluded, the medical instruments are removedfrom the medical field and the medical personnel=s arms are withdrawnfrom the arm access slots 24. The face portion 13 and flaps 12 of thedrape 10 may then be gathered around the patient=s head to extend thepocket over the patient=s face and then closed by bunching the headportion 14 directly over the patient=s face, to essentially capture theairspace over the patient=s face within the confines of the gathereddrape 10, i.e., a pocket is created to capture the air about thepatient=s face. It should be noted that the configuration of the sidewings 22 aids in providing additional material for the gathering andformation of the pocket during this part of the drape removal process.The presence of the flap 12 between the patient=s head and theunderlying support surface aids in maintaining the position of the faceportion 13, and thus the entire drape 10, so that it does not slide downduring the medical procedure or during the drape removal processthereafter. By gathering the airspace over the patient=s face, the drape10 aids in preventing airborne pathogens from escaping into theatmosphere. The gathered drape 10 may then be disposed of according toproper medical protocols.

It should be understood that the drape may be formed with only the headportion 12, and especially the face portion 13, made of a clearmaterial. However, this is not preferred as the formation of the drapethrough a single layer is believed to provide a uniform constructionwithout seams that may create an air leak in not formed correctly.

It should be understood that the access slots 24 may be in any formwhich allows the passage of a person=s arms through the access slots 24.However, it is believed that the X-shaped slit provides a great benefitover a single slit or slot that may tend to close upon the arm. TheX-shaped slit and its position on the arm portion 18 allows the handsand forearms of the medical personnel to enter and exit the drape with aminimum of snagging, thus reducing the chances of the drape beingimproperly removed or the airspace about the patient=s face frombreaching during the gathering procedure. Alternatively, the accessslots 24 may be in the form of two intersecting slits, which may form aY-shape slit or T-shaped slit. It should be understood that each slitmay also be curved instead of the straight slits shown in the drawings.

As such, an intubation drape 10 includes a flexible sheet of clearplastic material having a torso portion, a head portion extending fromthe torso portion, and a head flap extending from the head portionoppositely disposed from the torso portion with respect to the headportion. The drape also has arm portions with access slots to enablemedical personnel to pass their hands through the drape with minimalpulling of the drape material. With this construction, the intubationdrape is positioned over a patient with the torso portion over the torsoof the patient, the head portion over the face of a patient, and thehead flap under the head of the patient.

Variations of intubation the drape may fall within the spirit of theclaims, below. It will be appreciated that the inventions aresusceptible to modification, variation, and change without departingfrom the spirit thereof.

1. An intubation drape comprising: a flexible sheet of clear plasticmaterial having a torso portion and a head portion extending from saidtorso portion, said torso portion having two oppositely disposed armportions extending from said torso portion, each said arm portion havingan access slot extending through said flexible sheet, whereby theintubation drape is positioned over a patient with the torso portionover the torso of the patient and the head portion over the face of apatient.
 2. The intubation drape of claim 1 wherein each said accessslot is an X-shaped slit extending through said arm portion.
 3. Theintubation drape of claim 1 wherein each said access slot is formed bytwo intersecting slits.
 4. The intubation drape of claim 1 furthercomprising a head flap extending from said head portion oppositelydisposed from said torso portion with respect to said head portion. 5.The intubation drape of claim 1 further comprising two oppositelydisposed wings extending from said head portion.
 6. The intubation drapeof claim 4 further comprising two oppositely disposed wings extendingfrom said head portion.
 7. An intubation drape comprising: a torsoportion having a pair of access slots extending through said torsoportion, and a flexible head portion extending from said torso portion,said head portion have a face portion made of a clear material, wherebythe intubation drape is positioned over a patient with the torso portionover the upper surface of the torso of the patient and the face portionover the face of a patient.
 8. The intubation drape of claim 7 whereineach said access slot is an X-shaped slit.
 9. The intubation drape ofclaim 7 wherein each said access slot includes two intersecting slits.10. The intubation drape of claim 7 further comprising a head flapextending from said head portion oppositely disposed from said torsoportion with respect to said head portion.
 11. The intubation drape ofclaim 7 further comprising two oppositely disposed wings extending fromsaid head portion.
 12. The intubation drape of claim 10 furthercomprising two oppositely disposed wings extending from said headportion.
 13. The intubation drape of claim 7 wherein said torso portionincludes two oppositely disposed arm portions, and wherein said armportions include said access slots.
 14. An intubation drape comprising:a unitary, clear, flexible sheet having, a torso portion, a face portionextending from said torso portion, and a pair of oppositely disposed armportions extending laterally from said torso portion, each said armportion having an arm slit extending through said arm portion, wherebythe intubation drape is positioned over a patient with the torso portionover the torso of the patient, the face portion over the face of apatient, and the arm slits allow medical personnel access to the patientthrough the intubation drape.
 15. The intubation drape of claim 14wherein each said access slit is an X-shaped slit extending through saidarm portion.
 16. The intubation drape of claim 14 wherein each saidaccess slit is formed by two intersecting slits.
 17. The intubationdrape of claim 14 further comprising a head flap extending from saidhead portion oppositely disposed from said torso portion with respect tosaid head portion.
 18. The intubation drape of claim 14 furthercomprising two oppositely disposed wings extending from said headportion.
 19. The intubation drape of claim 17 further comprising twooppositely disposed wings extending from said head portion.